Skiing the Pacific Ring of Fire and Beyond
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Ski Mountaineering Photos & Trip Reports Equipment & Info Cascade Volcanoes Ring of Fire Site Map

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OCEANIA MAP
  Mauna Kea
  Mauna Loa
  Haleakala
  Puncak Jaya (Mt Carstensz)
  Tongariro
  Ngauruhoe
  Ruapehu
  Taranaki (Mount Egmont)
  Aoraki (Mount Cook)


ANTARCTICA MAP





| Ruapehu from the east, during the 1995-96 eruptions
(photographer unknown)   <click to enlarge>

Ruapehu
    9175 ft (2797 m)     Highest volcano in New Zealand .
Major Peaks:
Ruapehu:     9175 ft (2797 m)
Te Heuheu:     9039 ft (2755 m)
Paretetaitonga:     9026 ft (2751 m)
Location: Central part of North Island of New Zealand
Lat / Long: 39.3° S, 175.6° E
Volcanic Type: Stratovolcano
Volcanic Status: Active, last eruption 1997
First Ascent: G. Beetham & J. P. Maxwell, 1879
First Ski Descent:
Skiable Vertical: over 6000 ft (1800 m) possible
Lift Served Vertical:   2360 ft (720 m) at Turoa Ski Field
2210 ft (675 m) at Whakapapa Ski Field
800 ft (240 m) at Tukino Ski Field
Administration:   Tongariro National Park



Ruapehu is New Zealand's highest volcano, a large massif with three summits over 9000 ft (2700 m) along a 2 mile (3 km) long summit plateau with several craters located in between. The most prominent crater is the 1/3 mile (0.5 km) wide Crater Lake, which has been the source of most recent eruptions including the explosive 1995-96 episode. In between eruptions, the crater becomes filled by a warm lake usually over 70 °F (20 °C). Ruahepu has six glaciers located on all aspects of the upper slopes, the only glaciers on the North Island, and it is home to three ski areas. Whakapapa, the largest ski area, is on the northwest side, Turoa with the most vertical is on the southwest, and Tukino, a small club ski field, is on the east side. The lifts typically run from mid-June to mid-October, although in exceptional snowfall years such as 2002 Whakapapa may reopen for summer skiing during the Christmas to New Year holiday season. Ski mountaineering and backcountry skiing are extremely popular, especially since the summit plateau and Crater Lake are less than an hour climb or ski ascent from the top of the lifts.

Some useful links:  

    Tongariro National Park (official site)
    Volcano Camera - Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand
    Whakapapa and Turoa Ski Fields
    Tukino Ski Field
    New Zealand Topo Online
   
   
Topographic map of Ruapehu (1:80,000 scale)
    from NZMS 273 Tongariro National Park
    <click to enlarge>

      More photos and info about routes, access, etc. may be added in the future ...


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Ski Mountaineering Photos & Trip Reports Equipment & Info Cascade Volcanoes Ring of Fire Site Map

Amar Andalkar   Seattle, WA, USA   <About the Author / Contact Me>
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